Pelni, travel agents meet to improve marine tourism

JAKARTA (JP): Executives of the state-owned shipping firm PT Pelayaran Nasional Indonesia (Pelni) and some 80 travel agents began a four-day workshop yesterday to formulate measures to improve the country's marine tourism industry.

The chief of the Jakarta office of the Ministry of Tourism, Post and Telecommunications, Pudjo Basuki, said at the opening ceremony of the workshop on the Umsini passenger ship at the Tanjung Priok port here that Indonesia needs to develop its marine tourism because most of its territories are waters.

"Sea travel is only one of the potential opportunities in marine tourism," he said, adding that in the United States, the shipping industry has enjoyed high growth with support from that country's marine tourism.

The workshop, proceeding while the ship is en route to a number of cities, will discuss how to improve services in the marine industry related to Pelni's shipping services.

Pudjo also said that in the global business world, Indonesia must improve its marine industry services while more foreign cruising vessels operate in the country's waters.

"Business opportunities in sea travel will be plentiful. We must improve our sea tourism with all of available facilities," Pudjo said.

He said meetings between governmental institutions and private businesses are needed to promote the business.

Meanwhile, vice chairperson of the Association of Indonesian Travel Agencies (Asita) Rae Sita Supit said that Pelni needs to improve its service by installing a computerized reservation system for its executive class ticketing.

She said that Asita and Pelni last year signed an agreement of executive class ticketing sales, but the service must be improved if a reservation system is implemented.

Pelni will have a total of 24 passenger ships by 1998 and will receive the delivery of its 15th vessel, the Bukit Raya, next month. The company, established in 1952, transported more than 3.9 million people last year and is estimated to transport more than 4.6 people to 65 ports this year. (icn)